Shara Magomedov shares honest take on how Islam Makhachev would fare against Dricus du Plessis: "He's got good skills for middleweight"

Ahead of UFC Saudi Arabia, Shara Magomedov shared his thoughts on how well he feels UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev would do at middleweight against 185-pound kingpin Dricus du Plessis.

According to Magomedov, his fellow Dagestani is more than capable of competing at middleweight. In fact, he believes that Makhachev could move up two divisions to become champion at 185 pounds.

"You know, I think that that's right, I definitely think Islam can make 185 easy. I think he's got the right body for it, he's got good skills for middleweight. I think that he could actually fight du Plessis and have a really successful fight against du Plessis. I think that it's only gonna be exciting, I've said that before."

Check out Shara Magomedov's thoughts on Islam Makhachev fighting at middleweight (57:35):

Becoming a two-division UFC champion is Makhachev's dream, and he is unwilling to move up to welterweight to face his friend and training Belal Muhammad, who reigns as the division's champion. The feeling is mutual, as 'Remember the Name' does not want to fight Makhachev either.

Even the great Khabib Nurmagomedov, who helps train both men, expressed his uneasiness over the idea of preparing Makhachev to beat Muhammad. For this reason, the lightweight kingpin has set his sights on middleweight, where the opponents are much larger and more physical.

Du Plessis, in particular, is an athletic specimen without equal, but Makhachev is confident his skills should be enough to overcome any deficit in physicality.

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Former UFC middleweight also shares similar opinion about Islam Makhachev

Much has been made about Islam Makhachev's physical strength throughout his UFC run, with only Alexander Volkanovski and Arman Tsarukyan able to contend with his physicality.

According to Luke Rockhold, the second middleweight after Shara Magomedov to think so, the Dagestani star is no normal lightweight.

"I thought, I mean, Islam is an amazing f***ing fighter, grappler, everything. But he's a different level of physicality when it comes to grappling. I say this all the time, I roll with 155-pounders, and Islam and Khabib [Nurmagomedov], they don't wrestle and they don't grapple like 155-pounders."

Check out Luke Rockhold's assessment of Islam Makhachev's physicality (5:31):

It is worth noting that Rockhold is a former UFC middleweight champion, whose large and powerful frame saw him briefly compete at light heavyweight. Moreover, he is among the highest-level grapplers in middleweight history.